Kerser offensively sprays Tracy Grimshaw, Triple J and Allday on new album Next Step
RAPPER Kerser’s new album features cautionary tales about drugs and deliquency. But he has offered a pre-emptive apology to the A Current Affair host.
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CONTROVERSIAL Sydney rapper Kerser has never been one to apologise for dissing anyone in his music but he is issuing a pre-emptive sorry to Tracy Grimshaw.
The A Current Affair host cops an offensive spray, alongside crass homophobic slurs against rival rappers, in Taken Over the Scene from his fifth album in five years, Next Step.
Kerser, known as Scott Barrow on his driver’s licence, has risen from a delinquent childhood on Campbelltown’s streets in Sydney and through the underground battle scene to become Australia’s answer to Eminem.
It’s a comparison that extends beyond transcending a troubled youth and drug issues to become a chart star. Like Eminem, Kerser provokes as many people as he entertains. And usually he doesn’t care.
But when asked what Grimshaw had done to him lately to justify being insulted in the song, Kerser admits “nothing really”.
As for local hip hop talent Allday, who also cops a sledge in the song, or his longtime target 360 who he faced in a legendary battle in 2011, Kerser isn’t backing down.
“Me, Jay UF, who features on the track, and my older brother Rates, when we were 17 and 18 and coming up in the whole battle rap scene, we would take the piss out of anything we could, including a lot of people on TV and Tracy Grimshaw just popped into my head,” he says.
“I will apologise for that one. But no, I will never apologise to Allday or 360.”
Disses aside, Kerser has struck a resounding chord with a generation of young hip hop fans because of his gritty Straight Outta Campbelltown tales of life on the troubled streets of Sydney’s west.
A giant billboard on the M5 near Campbelltown advertising the release of Next Step underscores just how far Kerser has come.
He has released five albums in five years — with a master plan to finish 10 records in a decade — with the third release S.C.O.T. and last year’s King landing in the ARIA top 10 despite little notice from the industry or critics.
His monthly YouTube videos have now accumulated more than 35 million views.
There is a brief snippet of the ABC news theme on one of the new record’s tracks as a bit of a middle finger in the direction of Triple J who haven’t given this indie hip hop star much airplay.
“That sample has been cut up so I can’t get into any trouble for that,” he says cheekily.
“I feel like I have been ignored by that station and the industry and they are meant to be playing music which appeals to youth. But they just won’t play it and I can’t put my finger on why.
“If they checked out my shows or social media, they would realise that a lot of youth are into Kerser.
“I personally don’t think I need them when I have got to where I am and they have ignored me for this long. I can put a clip on YouTube and get 300,000 views.”
His connection with youth has come at a price. He moved to the south coast to avoid the constant knocks on his door from fans who wanted to hang with him.
But he found it far more confronting when his stories about drug abuse and run-ins with authorities started to spill into the lives of his younger fans.
On Next Step, the 28-year-old emcee is still rapping about how drugs affected his life but now they are more cautionary tales.
“It really hit me when I was doing a signing in Blacktown and a few young kids, about 14 or 15, pulled out his bong for me to sign,” he says.
“In my tracks, I was explaining what we were doing when we were kids and why and I felt they were taking the message I was putting out the wrong way, that because I did it, it was cool.
“On this album I wanted to reassure them that is not the path they want to be on. I wanted to clear that up.”
While there is no doubting the veracity of his hardcore raps about a troubled youth, it is impossible for your ears not to prick up when he mentions his phone being tapped. Really?
“Yes, it was for a certain stage of my life. I have had close friends, who I consider brothers, go to jail and without saying too much, them being on the run got my phone tapped,” he explains.
“I would prefer to leave that story in the music.”
Kerser writes raps every day. His prolificacy is astonishing, considering he is also producing a video every month as well as an album a year.
Few artists can match that release rate on the album front, including ah, One Direction, while Drake has managed four albums in five years as well as mixtapes.
“I think it’s important to stay consistent in people’s minds, to stay relevant,” he says. “As long as it doesn’t sound the same.”
The release of Next Step marks a step up in his music career having launched his own ABK Records with the backing of major label Warner Music.
But listen to the album tracks and it sounds like Kerser may already have it made.
“I am making money. My last four albums have topped the hip hop charts and DVD charts,” he says.
“I’m living in a nice big house down the coast, I bought a Range Rover and I am constantly working to keep the ball rolling, staying positive and setting goals.”
HEAR: NEXT STEP IS RELEASED ON FRIDAY
Originally published as Kerser offensively sprays Tracy Grimshaw, Triple J and Allday on new album Next Step
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